Elementary News

As the school year is in full swing now, there are so many great learning opportunities ahead! Your involvement as parents is incredibly important in supporting your child’s journey at home. By actively participating, you’re laying the foundation for their success. Please make time to read with your child regularly and set clear, consistent boundaries. Encourage them to listen to their teachers, be kind to their classmates, and follow our school values of Respect, Safety, and Responsibility.

Helping children learn to manage their feelings is something we can do together. We are here to partner with you in supporting your child, especially when they face challenges. By encouraging them to take responsibility for their actions and work on improving their behavior, you’re helping them develop important life skills. Together, we can guide them in making better choices and equip them with the tools they need for a successful future. Let’s work together to create a positive experience for our children!

Sept. 8 - 12 - Homecoming Dress up Days (see information below)

• Mac El Scholastic Book Fair (during school as listed)
• Mon. & Tues. - open during Library and Recess
• Wed., Thurs., Fri. - open during Library only

Sept. 9 - Mac El PTO meeting 3:30 pm (Group Room)

Sept. 10 - Mac El Family Night at the Book Fair (3:30 - 6:00 pm)

• Vaccination Clinic @ MHS (see information below)

• Note: Elementary Students must be accompanied by an adult at the game at all times

Sept. 17 - Virtual Learning Day

Sept. 22 - 26 - Pipe Creek PTO Scholastic Book Fair (during school)

Sept. 24 - Pipe Creek Family Night at the Book Fair (4:00pm - 6:00pm - PCE Library)

• Note: This is an opportunity for Families to shop at the book fair. There are no other activities.

Oct. 7 - Wild About Reading Family Literacy Night (K-5) (4:30 - 6:00 pm @ Mac El) - more information coming soon!

We love having you visit our schools! To ensure the safety of all our students, anyone who wishes to volunteer or have lunch with their student must first complete a volunteer background check. You can find the link under the Parent Resources tab on our website.

A friendly reminder: for the safety of our students, please remember to bring your photo ID whenever you visit the school for any reason, including student pickup, lunch, or meetings.

Reminder: When calling the attendance line, include the student name, parent name, teacher and the reason. Saying that they "are absent or won't be in" will not be excused.

EXCUSED ABSENCE (student handbook p. 7)

The following absences shall be considered excused and reported as absent:

1. Illness verified by a note from the parent (Only 3 parent notification will be excused per school year)

2. Illness verified by a note from a physician

3. Recovery from accident

4. Professional appointments – Parents are encouraged to schedule medical, dental, legal, and other necessary appointments other than during school hours. When appointments are necessary during the school day, the student shall report back to school immediately after the appointment with a signed statement from the doctor, dentist, lawyer, counselor, etc.

5. Death of a relative

6. Observation or celebration of a bona fide religious holiday

7. Maternity

8. Military-connected families’ absences related to deployment and return

9. Such other good cause as may be acceptable to the superintendent or his or her designee or permitted by law

Homecoming Dress Up Days will take place from Monday, September 8th, to Friday, September 12th. We encourage everyone to show support for our high school football team. The game is scheduled for Friday at 7:00 PM at the Mac Stadium against Whitco. Please note that parents are required to attend the game with their students. No elementary students may be dropped off at the game without a parent.

This week, our students are learning about the emotion of anger through the Little Spot of Feelings curriculum. We read A Little Spot of Anger and explored how everyone feels angry sometimes, but what is most important is how we handle our anger. The children practiced calming strategies, like filling their lungs with peaceful air and treating their "spots" with love and care, to help them return to their "peaceful spot." These lessons help your child develop healthy emotional regulation skills that they can use both at school and at home!

Parent Tip: When your child feels angry, try the same strategy at home. Pause with them, take a deep breath together, and say, "We're filling our lungs with peaceful air, then coating our spots with love and care." This routine helps reinforce what they're learning at school and provides them with a tool they can use anytime they begin to feel angry.

As we get further into the school year, we wanted to send a friendly reminder about the importance of handwashing. It's one of the easiest and most effective ways to keep our students and staff healthy and to stop the spread of germs.

Please take a moment to remind your child about these simple steps:

• Wet hands with clean, running water.

• Lather with soap.

• Scrub for at least 20 seconds.

• Rinse well under clean, running water.

• Dry hands using a clean towel or air dryer.

Thank you for your help in keeping our school community healthy!

Please make sure your child is up to date on their vaccinations. If have signed a religious exemption form previously, it must be signed again. Contact your school's nurse for more information. See the information below for the Immunization Clinic on Sept. 10th!

As part of Indiana’s efforts to support strong reading skills for all students, state law (Indiana

Code 20-35.5) requires schools to give a universal reading screener to all students in

kindergarten through second grade within the first 90 days of school. This screener helps identify

students who may need extra support in learning to read. Maconaquah and Pipe Creek Elementary Schools will be administering the i-Ready Literacy Tasks, which is an approved screener by the IDOE.

All parents will receive their child’s screening results. If the results show that your child may be

at risk for reading difficulties, you’ll be notified and provided with next steps, including

additional reading support. We’ll also ask for your permission to give your child further

assessments, if that is needed.

The information from this screener helps your child’s teacher make informed decisions about

reading instruction and support. If you have any questions about the screener or how it is used,

please reach out to your child’s school. To learn more, visit the Indiana Department of Education’s website.

Join us for a Silent Auction at the Maconaquah Homecoming Football Game on Friday, September 12th! Bidding begins at kickoff (7 p.m.) and runs through the end of the 3rd quarter. Winners will be announced before the 4th quarter. All proceeds support the Buddy Bags program.

The Gifted Education Research and Resource Institute (GER²I) is excited to offer our Fall Super Saturday program for students in PreK through 8th grade. Unlike our other programs, Fall Super Saturday is designed for both parents/caregivers and children, allowing students to learn alongside their family members. This program gives families a unique opportunity to explore and strengthen their students’ critical and creative thinking skills while actively engaging in rich content and hands-on activities.
Sessions will be held on two Saturdays—September 27 and October 11—from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM. A variety of exciting courses will be offered on both dates!
You can learn more about our course offerings from our website:
https://education.purdue.edu/geri/youth-programs/super-saturday/

Registration is now open, so please go to https://cvent.me/vyXn1e.

We would live to welcome you to our GER2I family, if you have any questions about our program, please reach out directly to Yichen Dong at dong288@purdue.edu.

If there is a change in your child's transporation, whether they will be picked up or riding a bus, it MUST be communicated with the front office. This can be done by sending a note to school or calling the office. If you call the office, please make sure you speak with a person. There is a central list at each elementary school, which allows us to check when students are unsure and the teacher may not be available. Do not just send a message to the teacher. The office MUST be notified. Thank you!

NOTE: Transportation changes should be in to the office by 2:00 pm.